Team Herald
PONDA: Mangueshi locals on Sunday gathered in large number on the Mangueshi-Kundaim Plateau and demanded that construction of a religious mutt be stopped immediately.
The locals led by Naresh Gaude feared that if a religious mutt is constructed on the plateau, which is source of water and a grazing ground for cattle, the water supply to their Bagayats at Mangueshi will be affected.
Since this plateau belongs to Comunidade of Kundaim, they requested the Administrator of Comunidades to stop the construction of the mutt by Chitrapur Math from Karnataka.
Locals alleged that since past few weeks they learnt that Chitrapur Math is trying to build mutt on the plateau, which is used by residents of Mangueshi and Kundaim to graze their cattle. They claimed that the plateau is a groundwater aquifer which feeds the perennial springs in the area. The locals said they have cashew, arecanut, coconut plantations and paddy fields, which are totally dependent on the water stored on this plateau, which flows through the springs in the village throughout the year.
They alleged that while carrying out construction work, Chitrapur Math had dug up the two bore wells on the plateau, which rendered the springs dry and due to this the residents are facing water shortage.
Naresh Gaude said, “Based on our complaints the WRD Margao inspected the sites. The file notings obtained under RTI revealed that no study of the groundwater has been conducted. We demand that WRD immediately revoke the permission and that the Forest Department act promptly into the matter.”
“We request the Deputy Collector Ponda, MLA Govind Gaude and the Administrator of Comunidades to take the issue seriously and stop the construction work. We also appeal to the authorities not to allow any construction activities on this plateau in future,” Gaude added.
